St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Shostakovich and Sibelius

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Shostakovich and Sibelius at Powell Symphony Hall

Some afternoons deserve more than a quiet Sunday on the couch. On April 4, 2027, at 3:00 PM, Powell Symphony Hall in St. Louis offers something bigger: the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, a podium led by Stéphane Denève, and a program built around two composers, Shostakovich and Sibelius. It is a live concert, and it asks you to show up, sit down and let the music take over your afternoon.

The first reason to go is the pairing. Denève conducts Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10, a work that gives an orchestra room to command a hall. Alongside it comes Sibelius's Violin Concerto, where the spotlight narrows to one player and one voice set against the full ensemble. Two different kinds of musical storytelling, one program. That contrast is the draw. You are not getting a single mood. You are getting a conversation between a soloist and an orchestra, then a symphony that fills the room.

The second reason is the soloist. Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider joins the orchestra as violin soloist, which makes the Sibelius concerto the kind of moment people mention on the drive home. Hearing a violin carry a concerto in a live setting is different from hearing it through earbuds. It is closer, more immediate and shared with everyone around you. Bring a friend, a parent or someone who has never been to a symphony concert, and give them an afternoon with a story to tell. A 3:00 PM start makes it an easy plan to build a day around. Choose your seats now and make April 4 your concert date: View tickets for Shostakovich and Sibelius at Powell Symphony Hall.